1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vibration absorbing apparatus for an exhaust system of an engine in which exhaust system having an exhaust manifold that extends downwardly relative to an engine arranged transversely in a vehicle body (so called as a transverse engine having a crank shaft extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to a front-rear direction of the vehicle body) and is connected to exhaust ports opened in a rear side of the engine and also connected to an exhaust pipe.
2. Discussion of Relevant Art
Conventionally, in a vehicle having the transverse engine, an exhaust system connected to exhaust ports of the engine is supported on a vehicle body via a resilient support member. Additionally, there has been known a vibration absorbing apparatus for the exhaust system in which a vibration absorbing structure such as a flexible tube and/or a spherical joint is connected to the exhaust system at an intermediate position in the longitudinal direction thereof so as to dampen rolling vibrations around a rolling center of the engine which is substantially parallel to an axis of the crankshaft thereof, thereby making it difficult for the vibrations to be transmitted to the vehicle body (for example, refer to Japanese Utility Model Examined Publication No. Hci.6-12985 (JP-B-6-12985U).
Incidentally, in a vehicle in which an exhaust system is disposed to be connected to a front side of the engine which is transversely installed in a body of the vehicle, since the exhaust system passes under the engine to extend to the rear of the vehicle body, the flexible tube can be disposed relatively close to the rolling center of the engine. Accordingly, the transmission of rolling vibrations of the engine to the exhaust system can be effectively dampened through extension and contraction of the flexible tube.
On the other hand, in a case where the exhaust system is disposed on a rear side of the transversely installed engine, since the exhaust system does not pass under the engine, the flexible tube has to be disposed at the rear of the engine and is hence placed far apart from the rolling center of the engine. Consequently, the displacement of the flexible tube per unit rolling angle of the engine increases, and as a result, there is caused a problem that the durability of the flexible tube is reduced and also the expected vibration dampening effect cannot be achieved. In addition, in order to solve this problem, the expensive flexible tube has to be longer, this causing another problem that the production cost has to be remarkably increased.